That Gonzo is the best player in baseball... I'd say hands down. What this guy does is unbelievable. Along with everybody else I thought this guy was going to be good, excellent, great. But as of right now, he has exceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeded all expectations. This guys the best in baseball, hands down. So my question is.. Why isn't he getting the spotlight and credit he deserves ?

I said before the season that before he was done here we would be talking about gonzo in the same sentences as the great Ted Williams. I maintain my stance.Posted by carnie

I wouldn't go that far just yet but it's starting to look like he's the best in the bizz. I'd like to see him get hot and get towards the top of the league in HR. That would really cement this argument.

HR'S are overrated. the important thing in baseball is to drive in runs. A-GON is doing that quite nicely thank you, at a rate of almost 1 per game.no doubt, he definitely has the prettiest swing in the game today. and as i mentioned yesterday, he's on pace to achieve 400+ total bases. last SOX player to do it was RICE in '78.

That Gonzo is the best player in baseball... I'd say hands down. What this guy does is unbelievable. Along with everybody else I thought this guy was going to be good, excellent, great. But as of right now, he has exceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeded all expectations. This guys the best in baseball, hands down. So my question is.. Why isn't he getting the spotlight and credit he deserves ? Posted by f1502nv

unecessary question....trust me, those in the know give AG every bit of credit due...

That Gonzo is the best player in baseball... I'd say hands down. What this guy does is unbelievable. Along with everybody else I thought this guy was going to be good, excellent, great. But as of right now, he has exceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeded all expectations. This guys the best in baseball, hands down. So my question is.. Why isn't he getting the spotlight and credit he deserves ? Posted by f1502nv

Of course there is an argument, many would make a strong case for Bautista who I believe has a higher slugging % and ops and obp% and more HR's. I'd still vote for Gonzo as the best hitter in the league, but there is an argument there. Posted by ctredsoxfanhugh

Yeah, but I think when it all comes down to the actual best player in the bigs Bautista wouldn't be in the running. When I think of the best player in the bigs the first player that always comes to mind is Pujols. To me that is the benchmark, Which i think Gonzo has surpassed.

Of course there is an argument, many would make a strong case for Bautista who I believe has a higher slugging % and ops and obp% and more HR's. I'd still vote for Gonzo as the best hitter in the league, but there is an argument there. Posted by ctredsoxfanhugh

So answer this regarding Bautista vs. Adrian...you have to make the decision today as the GM and you can take Bautista or Adrian...who do you take? Me? Without even a nano-second of thought Adrian.

In Response to Re: Is there even a chance of an argument? : Yeah, but I think when it all comes down to the actual best player in the bigs Bautista wouldn't be in the running. When I think of the best player in the bigs the first player that always comes to mind is Pujols. To me that is the benchmark, Which i think Gonzo has surpassed. Posted by f1502nv

ehh IDK, Bautista has some nasty numbers, and if you ask me Pujols is the Benchmark because of what he has done over the past several years not just this year, in which case we can't say that Gonzo has past that mark yet.

Regardless I think Gonzo is the best hitter in the league right now and remember that is the argument here who is the best hitter "NOW" which some could make a strong case for Bautista arguing present day numbers.

In Response to Re: Is there even a chance of an argument? : So answer this regarding Bautista vs. Adrian...you have to make the decision today as the GM and you can take Bautista or Adrian...who do you take? Me? Without even a nano-second of thought Adrian.Posted by sindarin-erebor

Yup, Gonzlez has been more consistant over the past several years, he has gold glove defense and he is younger giving you more years in his prime.

I think it is possible that he will "get hot" with HRs as the summer heats up. But, the great part about Adrian is that he is a Manny in an Ichiro soul. He values a single as much as a homerun. I could care less if he hits 40 hrs. He's gonna have like 170 rbis and a .400+ OBP. Triple Crown is lovely speculation, but I love watching him do his thing without having to be a traditional slugger. I have never seen a hitter so adept at taking what is given him and doing the right thing with any pitch. If thats a slap single, so be it. If he knocks it into next week, so be it. He is a smooth assassin. Not sure he would be that killer if he was focusing on the long ball (which he obviously could).

Bautista is probably going to win the HR category, but his average has dropped while Gonzo's has increased. Gonzalez will take 2 of the 3 Triple Crown categories.

It's one thing to increase your average from the mid .200s to the low .300s; it's another thing to bump it up to .350 from .328. What Gonzalez is doing right now is ridiculous, and it's not just because Fenway is a smaller park.

While as of right now, Bautista has the better numbers, when the year ends, i think Agon will be the better hitter, and throughout the entirety of his contract, i think there is a good possibilty of him being the best player in baseball.

No comparison with Bautista. Bautista has cooled off on the dingers because pitchers know what to do with him now. He has great power, a nice compact swing. But he has major holes in his swing. Adrian has none.

Even if Bautista ends up with more home runs, there is no comparison. Home runs are awesome. But they tend to dominate the discussion of hitting prowess. I just don't see bautista and Gonzalez even in the same league.

Bautista is probably going to win the HR category, but his average has dropped while Gonzo's has increased. Gonzalez will take 2 of the 3 Triple Crown categories. It's one thing to increase your average from the mid .200s to the low .300s; it's another thing to bump it up to .350 from .328. What Gonzalez is doing right now is ridiculous, and it's not just because Fenway is a smaller park.

Posted by soups

Why is it different to go from .328 to .350 than from the mid .200s to the low .300s?

And, as much as you might not like to admit it, playing his home games in that little league park does have a significant impact.

That Gonzo is the best player in baseball... I'd say hands down. What this guy does is unbelievable. Along with everybody else I thought this guy was going to be good, excellent, great. But as of right now, he has exceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeded all expectations. This guys the best in baseball, hands down. So my question is.. Why isn't he getting the spotlight and credit he deserves ? Posted by f1502nv

Give him a year or two in Boston and people will forget about guys like Teixeira. AGon will be an amazing player for us if he can stay healthy and everyone will be talking about him.

In Response to Re: Is there even a chance of an argument? : Yeah, but I think when it all comes down to the actual best player in the bigs Bautista wouldn't be in the running. When I think of the best player in the bigs the first player that always comes to mind is Pujols. To me that is the benchmark, Which i think Gonzo has surpassed. Posted by f1502nv

I am in agreement with your argument, for the most part. If we add in defense, Adrian wins hands down over Bautista, and fairly solidly over Pujols. Now...offensively? You have to give credit to ctredsoxfanhugh's point. Then consider this:What would Bautista's numbers be if he played in the lineup A-Gon is in right now?

OMG...what would his numbers be if he played in that lineup WITH A-Gon?

Hmmm... Bautista in RF instead of Drew...I MIGHT make that trade - lol.

I'd like to see the league average numbers and compare to see who is farther from the norm. Just a thought.

(I'm not saying Agon is not the best, but Beckett has been awesome as well and has faced more batters than AGon has faced pitchers.)

This winter I tried to show that the park dimensions would help AGon become much better than he already was. Several posters thought the AL East pitching would minimize that factor. Maybe the pitching isn't as good as before, but AGon has been buttah vs the East: